[[Image:NikitaMartyr(Yaroslavl).jpg|right|thumb|200px|St. Nicetas the Goth - Yaroslavl second half of the 16th century.]]

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The Holy [[martyr]] '''Nicetas the Goth''' was a member of the Germanic tribes of the fourth century who early had accepted Christianity and bravely defended the Christian faith against those Goth who remained pagans and hostile to the [[Gospel]]. Nicestas was martyred by the pagan prince Athanaric. St. Nicetas is commemorated on September 15.

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Saint Nicetas was a Goth warrior and lived on the eastern side of the Danube River within the boundaries of present-day Rumania. Bishop Theophilus, the well-known enlightener of the Goths and a participant in the First Ecumenical Council in 325, converted him to Christianity and baptized him.

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==Life==

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[[Saint]] Nicetas was a warrior who lived with the Gothic tribes on the eastern side of the Danube River within the boundaries of present-day Romania. He was a [[conversion|convert]] to Christianity of the Gothic Bishop Theophilus, a well-known enlightener of the Goths, who also had [[baptism|baptized]] Nicetas.

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At that time, intestine warfare arose among the Goths. At the head of one hostile side stood Prince Athanarichus, a vehement pagan and a hater of Chris-tians. At the head of the other - Frigentus. In the bloody clash of the armies, Athanarichus was victorious, and Frigentus was forced to flee to Byzantium. But soon Frigentus returned to his homeland, reinforced by the fresh troops afforded him by the Emperor Valentus (364-378). Frigentus commanded that the image of the Holy Cross be made on the standards of his army, as once did Constantine the Great. A second bloody battle took place, and this time Frigentus was victorious. But Athanarichus, with a small group of adherents, was saved by flight.

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At the time there was internecine warfare among the Goths, in particular between Prince Athanarichus, who hated Christians, and Frigentus who revenged a defeat by Athanarichus with the help of Arian emperor Valens, forcing Athanarichus into exile. After Frigentus' victory the Christian Goths enjoyed a period of peace during which Bishop Hierarch Urphilus, successor to Bp. Theophilus, created the Gothic alphabet and translated many spiritual books from Greek into Gothic. St. Nicetas participated during these time by his preaching the Gospel while living a pious life, which greatly aided the confirmation of the Christian faith among the Goths.

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After Frigentus' victory, favorable times ensued for Chris-tianity. Bishop Theophilus' successor, Hierarch Urphilus (311-383), created the Gothic alphabet and translated many spiritual books from Greek into Gothic. Saint Nicetas, by his preaching and his pious life, greatly assisted the confirmation of the Christian faith among the Goths.

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However, after a few years, Athanarichus returned to his homeland with a large army and warfare among the Goths started again. As part of his actions, Athanarichus raised a fierce persecution against the Christians. Nicetas, who had become a spiritual leader among the Christian Goths, denounced Athanarichus for godlessness and cruelty. He called on the faithful to be firm and not to fear martyrdom. Athanarichus soon had Nicetas seized.

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After a few years, Athanarichus returned to his homeland with a numerous army, and intestine warfare again started up among the Goths. Having overcome Frigentus, Athanarichus raised up a cruel persecution against the Christians. Nicetas, having become the spiritual leader of the Christian Goths, denounced Athanarichus for godlessness and cruelty. He called on the faithful to be firm and not to fear martyrdom. Soon Nicetas was seized and given over to cruel tortures.

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Nicetas was then given over to cruel tortures and, finally, was thrown into a fire where he died on September 15, 372. A friend of Nicetas, a Christian named Marianus, found his remains during the night and transferred them to Cilicia. Since then, miracles and cures have occurred before the [[relics]] of the holy Martyr Nicetas. A particle of his relics is held in the monastery of Vysokie Dechany[[http://www.kosovo.net/edecani.html]] in Serbia.

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They threw him into a fire, and he died on 15 September 372. A friend of Nicetas searched out his holy remains at night and transferred them to Cilicia. From that time, miracles and healings began to be performed from the relics of the holy Martyr Nicetas. A particle of the relics of the Great-martyr Nicetas is found in the monastery of Vysokie Dechany in Serbia.

Revision as of 16:34, June 10, 2011

St. Nicetas the Goth - Yaroslavl second half of the 16th century.

The Holy martyrNicetas the Goth was a member of the Germanic tribes of the fourth century who early had accepted Christianity and bravely defended the Christian faith against those Goth who remained pagans and hostile to the Gospel. Nicestas was martyred by the pagan prince Athanaric. St. Nicetas is commemorated on September 15.

Life

Saint Nicetas was a warrior who lived with the Gothic tribes on the eastern side of the Danube River within the boundaries of present-day Romania. He was a convert to Christianity of the Gothic Bishop Theophilus, a well-known enlightener of the Goths, who also had baptized Nicetas.

At the time there was internecine warfare among the Goths, in particular between Prince Athanarichus, who hated Christians, and Frigentus who revenged a defeat by Athanarichus with the help of Arian emperor Valens, forcing Athanarichus into exile. After Frigentus' victory the Christian Goths enjoyed a period of peace during which Bishop Hierarch Urphilus, successor to Bp. Theophilus, created the Gothic alphabet and translated many spiritual books from Greek into Gothic. St. Nicetas participated during these time by his preaching the Gospel while living a pious life, which greatly aided the confirmation of the Christian faith among the Goths.

However, after a few years, Athanarichus returned to his homeland with a large army and warfare among the Goths started again. As part of his actions, Athanarichus raised a fierce persecution against the Christians. Nicetas, who had become a spiritual leader among the Christian Goths, denounced Athanarichus for godlessness and cruelty. He called on the faithful to be firm and not to fear martyrdom. Athanarichus soon had Nicetas seized.

Nicetas was then given over to cruel tortures and, finally, was thrown into a fire where he died on September 15, 372. A friend of Nicetas, a Christian named Marianus, found his remains during the night and transferred them to Cilicia. Since then, miracles and cures have occurred before the relics of the holy Martyr Nicetas. A particle of his relics is held in the monastery of Vysokie Dechany[[1]] in Serbia.